Billboard

BEHEMOTH have always pushed the limits of their abilities and defied the boundaries of death and black metal. Now, the Polish metal kings have returned to rule on earth once more with Demigod!

Originally formed by a teenage Nergal (guitars/vocals) in 1991, BEHEMOTH quickly made a name for themselves in black metal circles with four early cult albums: From The Pagan Wastelands, ...And The Forests Dream Eternally, Sventevith (Storming Near the Baltic) and Grom. But it wasn't until the release of Pandemonic Incantations, with the addition of Inferno (drums), that the band started to realize their true potential. Songs were catchier and the musicianship and production vastly improved. With Satanica, BEHEMOTH started to incorporate more of a death metal approach to their songwriting. The high, raspy, black metal screeches of the first four albums were replaced with a forceful yet audible death metal growl. Two successful European tours followed with Deicide and Satyricon as the band started to amass a rabid following.

As the group built a name for themselves throughout Europe, they soon caught the ears of America's Olympic Recordings and were quickly signed. In 2001, Thelema.6 was released in the U.S. Truly a landmark in the extreme metal community, Thelema.6 saw the band combining their early black metal influences with the utter viciousness and technicality of Satanica. Now an unstoppable live force, touring opportunities with bands such as Nile and Morbid Angel began to pour in. For those who thought the band had reached their peak, nothing could prepare them for what came next.

Zos Kia Cultus (Here And Beyond) was unleashed upon an unsuspecting North and South American audience in February of 2003. Recorded at Poland's Hendrix Studios, the album saw Behemoth set a new standard in massive production and song craft for all others to meet. The band had taken a slight turn away from the more straight ahead brutality of Thelema.6 and put more of an emphasis on groove. As rave reviews started to flow in, the group made its American live debut at the New Jersey March Metal Meltdown festival. The several extensive nationwide tours that followed (which included the likes of Deicide, Amon Amarth, Halford, Testament, Danzig, Superjoint Ritual, Opeth, Nile, Lacuna Coil, and Six Feet Under) and the release of the Conjuration EP, all helped make 2003 a breakthrough year for the band.

Mixed by Daniel Bergstrand (Strapping Young Lad, Meshuggah, In Flames), Demigod is the next logical progression of the bands already colossal sound. The songs have taken on an even more aggressive feel this time around, with more traditional metal song structures and slightly more melodic lead work. From the bludgeoning opener "Sculpting the Throne ov Seth" to the epic closing track "The Reign ov Shemsu Hor," BEHEMOTH have once again managed to top themselves. In an effort to match the grandness of the composition, a professional male choir was brought in to record real vocal harmonies for "Sculpting the Throne ov Seth." Also worth noting is Karl Sanders' (Nile) soaring guest solo on the track "XUL."

While most bands struggle to evolve and stay vital within the extreme music genre, BEHEMOTH manages to do so effortlessly. Experience why Metal Maniacs has said, "BEHEMOTH is poised to be the most-talked about extreme metal band!"

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Band Members - see all 4

• Inferno - drums and annihilation

• Seth - lead and rhythm, acoustic guitars, backing throat grinding

• Orion - five string bassaxes, backing vocal eruptions

• Nergal - lead and rhythm, acoustic guitars, voice, new aeon propaganda

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  Demigod

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